Itinerary

Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Depart U.S./Fly overnight to Argentina

Depart from the U.S. for Argentina. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive Argentina

Upon arrival at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), proceed through immigration where you will need to pay a $140USD Reciprocity Fee (cash and credit cards are accepted). Please note you will be required to complete a landing card prior to proceeding through the immigration check point. These landing cards will be provided to you onboard your flight. You will need to have your Buenos Aires hotel information to complete these cards. Please keep it in your carry-on luggage.

Claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is delayed, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area -- VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. (Please note: Also make certain that your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.) After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall, where your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign and will make arrangements for your transfer via van to your Buenos Aires hotel. (Transfer time is approximately 45 - 60 minutes depending on traffic). Your VBT representative will also confirm your transfer time for your flight to El Calafate at the conclusion of your Buenos Aires extension.

VBT provides you with City Information in your Final Travel Booklet that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Buenos Aires during your stay. You have the rest of the day to relax or to begin your exploration of the city.

Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart U.S./Fly overnight to Argentina

Depart from the U.S. for Argentina. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Buenos Aires

European refinement meets Latin passion in Buenos Aires. In colonial days, this sprawling metropolis was a mere backwater with little idea that the source of its eventual wealth – cattle herds – grazed the nearby pampas. Today, Argentina's lively capital is much more than the city of beef and tango (though it is certainly that, too). Here, multicultural barrios form an invigorating tapestry that makes this one of the world's richest cities for cultural exploration. Stroll the Avenida de Mayo, a wide, shop-lined boulevard, to the elegant Plaza de Mayo. Visit the grave of Argentina's beloved leader, Eva Peron, a short walk from your hotel. Explore the Palermo Viejo district, dotted with chic cafes and designer shops. Or delight in the tango dancers in San Telmo district.

Day 2 of AIR PACKAGE Arrive Argentina

Upon arrival at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE), proceed through immigration where you will need to pay $140USD Reciprocity Fee (cash or credit card are accepted). Please note you will be required to complete a landing card prior to proceeding through the immigration check point. These landing cards will be provided to you onboard your flight. You will need to have your Buenos Aires hotel information to complete these cards. Please keep it in your carry-on luggage.

Claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is delayed, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area -- VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. (Please note: Also make certain that your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.) After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall, where your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign and will make arrangements for your transfer via van to your Buenos Aires hotel. (Transfer time is approximately 45 - 60 minutes depending on traffic). Your VBT representative will also confirm your transfer time for tomorrow's flight to El Calafate.

VBT provides you with City Information in your Final Travel Booklet that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Buenos Aires. You have the rest of the day to relax or to begin your exploration of the city.

Day 4 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Buenos Aires

Take another day to discover Buenos Aires.

VBT Air Package guests arrive throughout the day.

Day 1 of WALKING TOUR Fly to El Calafate/All guests meet in El Chalten this evening

VBT No-Air Package guests: Meet your VBT Trip Leader at the El Chalten inn at 6:30 pm for a brief Welcome Reception. The contact information for the inn will be included with your final documents. Please contact your first inn to advise them of any travel delays or changes so the staff can alert your VBT Trip Leaders.

VBT Air Package guests: This morning you will transfer from your Buenos Aires hotel to Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Aeroparque Domestic airport (AEP) for your flight to El Calafate. This is a very early morning flight. Please be waiting in the hotel reception area 15 minutes prior to your transfer time; you will have received this time from your VBT representative on your first day in Buenos Aires. Once you have arrived at the airport please check in and proceed to the departure lounge.

Upon arrival at El Calafate airport, claim your luggage and look in the arrivals hall, where your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign. (Please note: Make certain that your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.) Your representative will make arrangements for the transfer to your hotel in El Chalten, approximately a 3 hour drive.

VBT Pre-Trip Extension guests: This morning you will transfer from your Buenos Aires hotel to Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Aeroparque Domestic airport (AEP) for your flight to El Calafate. This is a very early morning flight. Please be waiting in the hotel reception area 15 minutes prior to your transfer time; you will have received this time from your VBT representative on your first day in Buenos Aires. Once you have arrived at the airport please check in and proceed to the departure lounge.

Upon arrival at El Calafate airport, claim your luggage and look in the arrivals hall, where your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign. (Please note: Make certain that your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you.) Your representative will make arrangements for the transfer to your hotel in El Chalten, approximately a 3 hour drive. We'll stop midway for a short break, with time for you to have lunch on your own before proceeding to El Chalten. El Chalten is the northern gateway to Los Glaciares National Park, where the soaring Andes and vast stretches of untouched wilderness form a magnificent backdrop for our walking days ahead. El Chalten is a young village, just 25 years. Its charms – and dramatic setting amidst mammoth outcroppings – are undeniable. Due to the long travel day, we will have a simple Welcome Reception at 6:30 pm. Our formal welcome dinner will be tomorrow evening.

Day 2 of WALKING TOUR El Chalten Walking Tour/Visit Los Glaciares National Park Ranger Station/Mirador de los Condores Trail

After breakfast, we will have a short orientation followed by a warm-up walk through the town of El Chalten. Our warm-up walk will end at the Los Glaciares National Park Ranger Station where you will have an opportunity to learn more about the history and natural wonders of this region of Argentina.

Return to our hotel, or continue uphill on the Mirador de los Condores Trail, where you'll be rewarded with spellbinding views of the Adela mountain range, Torre and Fitz Roy Mountain peaks and the Rio del las Vueltas Valley. The lookout point at the highest elevation of our walk is in a strategic vantage point for observations of magnificent gliding condors.

For our welcome dinner this evening, we shuttle to a cozy timber lodge on the banks of the Vueltas River. A traditional Argentine barbecue is on the menu – steaks, sausages, and vegetables over coals – with spectacular north face views of Fitz Roy, one of the tallest mountains in the Patagonian Andes.

Day 3 of WALKING TOUR Fitz Roy Valley

Following breakfast we will have a short shuttle (30 minutes) to the starting point of today's walk.

The trailhead for our morning walk leads us into a lush grove of lenga trees, cousin to the beech. We proceed through the forest and its enchanted ancient atmosphere, along side a mountain stream. We hope for clear skies on this trail so we can marvel at the Fitz Roy spire and the glaciers and lakes that lap at its base. And since we're looking up, we'll also try to spot austral parrots in the canopy overhead.

As we continue, the landscape opens up before us with even more expansive vistas. With dramatic views as our dining room, we lay out another picnic at a mountaineering base camp. As we dine, imagine bold climbers waiting here for favorable weather to ascend these dizzying massifs.

After lunch we will have the option to return to the trailhead and return back by bus to the hotel. For those seeking more challenges, you may opt to continue back to the hotel along the trail, passing by the lovely Lake Capri.

This evening dine on your own in the small town of El Chalten or enjoy the fine dining at your five-star resort.

Day 4 of WALKING TOUR El Calafate

We shuttle back to El Calafate this morning, stopping en route at the historic Leona Roadhouse & Country Lodge.

We arrive in El Calafate, near the Chilean border in time for lunch on your own. This old settlement town has grown into a magnet for nature lovers, trekkers, and mountaineers; its outpost quality is hard to resist.

This afternoon, browse the shops along Paseo de los Artesanos, brimming with local handicrafts made from leather, silver and alpaca wool. Be sure to sample an alfajor, a sweet cookie infused with local caramel. Or stroll from your hotel to the shores of Laguna Nimez Nature Reserve, where flamingos and black-necked swans wade.

Tonight, enjoy dinner on your own in town. Or indulge in the first-rate restaurant at the hotel, a modern ranch-compound in a peaceful setting.

Day 5 of WALKING TOUR Lake Argentino cruise/Upsala Glacier/Estancia Cristina

This morning we depart early for Puerto Bandera's harbor on the azure waters of Lake Argentino, where our boat is waiting to take us to the remote Estancia Cristina. En route, enormous aqua-blue icebergs and seracs (blocks of ice clinging to a glacial mass) take our breath away. We pass through the Devil's Mouth, granite cliffs towering on either side of us, and sidle up as close as we safely can to Upsala Glacier, the longest ice mass in southern Patagonia.

Estancia Cristina is located on the most remote arm of Lake Argentino and is only accessible by boat. Founded in 1914 as a cattle and sheep ranch by an Englishman and his wife, this estancia became well known among explorers, climbers and adventurers of the National Park. It retains its rustic ambiance and adventuresome spirit, as we'll learn at its small museum.

We'll have time to take a short walk through the estancia's countryside. For a longer and more challenging walk, you can purchase one of two options. Both options include a 4x4 adventure to the Upsala viewpoint, where you have the second option to walk through Fossils Canyon and observe fascinating marine fossils.

Later in the afternoon we return by boat to Puerto Bandera and El Calafate. Dinner this evening is at your leisure.

Day 6 of WALKING TOUR Perito Moreno Glacier/Safari Nautico boat tour

Journey today to the Perito Moreno Glacier on the farther shore of Lake Argentino. This is the world's third largest single reserve of fresh water and one of very few advancing glaciers in the world. In fact, this icy behemoth occasionally advances to the opposite shore of the lake. Perito Moreno glacier is protected by the World Biosphere Reserve from UNESCO.

We embark a boat tour of the glacier this morning. Our captain will keep his distance in hopes that we'll witness a glacier calving, in which giant chunks collapse into the water. After our boat tour, there'll be time to further explore by strolling the numerous boardwalks facing the glacier.

Our lodging is the only hotel inside the Perito Moreno area. All rooms offer outstanding views of the glacier's face. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure marveling at this stunning setting. Or you might opt to try Ice Trekking on the glacier. Please note that Ice Trekking is an additional expense and the National Park limits Ice Trekking to participants less than 65 years of age.

In the evening we share our day's events over a farewell drink before enjoying a sumptuous farewell dinner at our unique lodge.

Day 7 of VBT Land Package VBT Land Package ends/Begin optional Mendoza Wine Region Extension

VBT No-Air Package guests: VBT provides an early morning transfer to El Calafate airport. Our tour concludes here.

VBT Air Package: Transfer early this morning to the airport in El Calafate for our flight to Buenos Aires' domestic airport. There is a $9 USD departure tax that must be paid after checking in at El Calafate airport. For guests that have flights departing Buenos Aires after 10:00 pm, a day room will be provided at the Panamericano Buenos Aires Hotel (transfer time is approximately 30 minutes depending upon traffic). All other guests will be transferred to the Buenos Aires International Airport (transfer time is approximately 90 minutes depending upon traffic). If you are provided a day room, you will transfer to the Buenos Aires' International airport in the early evening (exact time will be provided by the transfer representative meeting you on arrival in Buenos Aires) to check in for your flight to the U.S. (transfer time is approximately 45 minutes depending upon traffic). VBT Air Package: Transfer early this morning to the airport in El Calafate for our flight to Buenos Aires' domestic airport. There is a $9 USD departure tax that must be paid after checking in at El Calafate airport. Upon arrival, due to the length of the layover, VBT has provided a day room at the Panamericano Buenos Aires Hotel for your use (transfer time is approximately 30 minutes depending upon traffic). In the early evening, transfer to Buenos Aires' International airport and check in for your flight to the U.S., departing in the late evening (transfer time is approximately 45 minutes depending upon traffic).

VBT Post-Trip Extension guests: If you have chosen the optional Post-Trip Extension, transfer early this morning to the airport in El Calafate for our flight to Buenos Aires' domestic airport. There is a $9 USD departure tax that must be paid after checking in at El Calafate airport. Upon arrival in Buenos Aires, you will collect your luggage and proceed to the LAN Airlines check-in counter to check in for your connecting flight to Mendoza. After collecting you luggage in Mendoza and exiting the luggage area, a VBT representative meets you and assists you to your accommodations at Club Tapiz or Finca Adalgisa, located in the Maipu region at the beginning of Argentina's Wine Route.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Day 8 of AIR PACKAGE Air Package Guests Arrive Home

Flights arrive in the United States this morning, allowing for connections to your home city.

Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Mendoza Wine Region

By some accounts, Mendoza feels like a Wild West town. Its panoramic setting of jagged Andean peaks and dusty frontiers hardly brings a sophisticated viniculture to mind. But look deeper into Mendoza's Maipu region, as we'll do during this thrilling extension to one of the world's most prominent wine regions, and you'll be welcomed by a warm culture of that takes its Malbecs very seriously. Join VBT in this seldom-visited part of the world, and you'll visit some of the oldest vineyards of Maipu, and sample prize vintages at charming bodegas. You'll also learn how Mendoza emerged as one of the wine world's most beloved vinicultures. Tonight sample some of Argentina's wines at a tasting session hosted by the hotel.

Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Mendoza Wine Region Extension departs for home

After a leisurely morning at Finca Adalgisa or Club Tapiz, transfer to the Mendoza International airport for your return flights home via Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Day 4 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Mendoza Wine Region Extension arrives home

Flights arrive in the United States this morning, allowing for connections to your home city.

Argentina: Walking in Patagonia 2012

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

Pre-Trip Extension

Buenos Aires 2012 - 2 nights for only $295

Enjoy exploring the capital of Argentina for two days before flying to Patagonia. Buenos Aires is one of the world’s great cities, often referred to as the “Paris of South America” with its grand baroque buildings and wide avenues. Your hotel, in the upscale and centrally located Recoleta neighborhood, is just steps from such historical sites as the cemetery where Eva Peron (Evita) is buried. Explore the nearby neighborhoods of Palermo Viejo with chic bars and designer shops or wander the renovated docks of Puerto Madero with their superb restaurants. No visit to Buenos Aires would be complete without a visit to San Telmo, the oldest part of town where tango dancers perform on every corner.

Available only with the Air Inclusive Package.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $245.

Post-Trip Extension

Mendoza Wine Region 2012 - 2 nights for only $345

Discover the vineyards of Argentina on this post-trip extension to Mendoza. Upon returning to Buenos Aires’ Jorge Newbery Aeroparque airport, you will connect with your flight to Mendoza, capital of Argentina’s much heralded wine region. Once in Mendoza, transfer (approximately 30 minutes) southwest to the Maipu region – starting point of the wine route and home to some of the most famous and oldest vineyards in the province. Spend a day visiting the various wine bodegas or, depending upon the time of year, you can help prune, harvest, and work the vineyard that surrounds your accommodations. Each evening enjoy exclusive wine tastings before sampling delicious native dishes.

Available only with the Air Inclusive Package.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $195.

Accommodations

Loi Suites Recoleta

The Loi Suites Recoleta is located in Recoleta district, the most elegant area of the city. From here, it’s an easy walk to museums, art galleries, lovely parks, shops, and the Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Peron is buried. Relax in your hotel’s indoor swimming pool or dry sauna, sample Argentine cuisine in La Fuente restaurant, or warm up for your walking vacation in the gym. However you spend your time, you’ll find a soothing, intimate atmosphere

VBT has arranged a complimentary upgrade for our guests to the hotel’s executive studios, which feature two twin beds, writing desk with internet access, CD music system, minibar, and in-room safe.

Complimentary VBT upgrade to Executive Studios.

Los Cerros

The Hotel Los Cerros is located in the young outpost town of El Chaltén, the doorstep into the most imposing mountains of Patagonia. This rustic property boasts large windows, which offer panoramic views of surrounding valleys, lakes, and granite mountains. After rewarding days of walking, relax by its corner fireplace with a glass of Argentina’s best wine. And you can dine on finely prepared cuisine in its inviting dining room, which specializes in hare stew and a delicate lamb. The friendly staff will make you feel part of their Patagonian family.

Its 44 rooms provide an intimate, relaxed atmosphere. They are decorated to achieve harmony with the environment through a careful combination of rustic materials and cozy and colorful elements. Each room features large viewing windows and private bath with hydro-massage, shower, and hair dryer.

Los Sauces Casa Patagonia

Los Sauces Casa Patagonia opened in September 2007 to become the luxury hotel of El Calafate, gateway to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. The property and its staff exude the hospitality and refined spirit of the Patagonian farms that worked this land a century ago. The architectural style of Los Sauces could be summed up as “rustic European,” with its clean lines, natural garden of willows and rose hips, and small river that flows past. It’s a peaceful, natural setting where you will love concluding your day. El Calafate’s main street is just 1000 yards away.

Its 38 suites are distributed among five individual, ranch-like casas, spread out over a compound that encourages quiet strolls. Each casa has its own personality and style, boasts a common living room with a fireplace, and offers complimentary tea and coffee. Barracan knitted upholstery, porphyry rock walls, and leather details lend a warm ambiance. Paintings by well-known Argentine artists and carefully selected furniture complete the decoration of each suite. Each room features a telephone, wireless internet, television, and bathroom with hydro-massage and shower.

Hosteria Los Nostros

The peerless Los Notros Hotel is the only property with direct views of Perito Moreno Glacier. Ideally nestled on a peninsula in the southern reaches of Lake Argentino, its atmosphere is rustic yet elegant, and its gracious staff provides impeccable service. An outdoor terrace restaurant offers unobstructed views of the glimmering lake and glacier. After a day of exploring, dine on carefully prepared local cuisine in the elegant indoor dining room. Each room features wood details, handmade Mapuche rugs, and views of the glacier. An array of spa services is also available to soothe your body after invigorating walks. With only 32 guestrooms, Los Notros maintains an intimate and subdued atmosphere.
VBT has reserved Cascada rooms for our travelers, separated from the public areas of the hotel by a 300-yard stroll. Rooms are located in two-story structures, each with four guestrooms.

Finca Adalgisa

Finca Adalgisa is an early 20th century manor house and vineyard estate in the heart of the premier wine-growing region of Argentina. It is a charming family home converted in 2001 by Gabriela Furlotti,a third generation Argentine-Italian, into the first boutique hotel and finca in Mendoza. Although secluded and private, it is conveniently located within 20 minutes drive of Mendoza’s city center and within walking distance of a thriving little community with local shops and nice restaurants, called Chacras de Coria. Eleven guest rooms are located at our Finca. The vineyard and fruit trees occupy more than half of the total of approx. 5 acres (2 hectares). Each room manages to be unique, unpretentious, and comfortable.

Rating Level

Moderate

This tour features a combination of uneven footpaths and rocky, irregular terrain over hills and through valleys. Most of our walks are on National Park trails. You may determine the length of your walks to suit your endurance. Optional trekking on glacier ice is available at the Perito Moreno Glacier. Our VBT support vehicle is available at specific meeting points for those who need assistance. Both morning and afternoon walking options are available most days. Appropriate for experienced walkers who are comfortable with ascents and descents.